5 MISC. PUBLICATION 290, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



McNary law. The system of national forests is being constantly 

 enlarged through purchase of privately owned lands under the pro- 

 visions of these laws. 



Lands are not purchased indiscriminately nor in relatively small 

 tracts widely distributed over large territories. Such a practice 

 would increase the costs of protection, development, and administra- 

 tion beyond practical limitations. 



Purchases are confined to specific and definitely bounded areas 

 within which the Federal Government can expect to ultimately ac- 

 quire all of the lands except those which are more valuable for other 

 purposes than for forest uses. The average area of the purchase 

 units established to date is slightly more than 400,000 acres, and an 

 area in which it will not be practicable to acquire at least 100,000 

 acres in reasonably compact form ordinarily is not considered. 



The general policy is to purchase only those lands which are volun- 

 tarily offered by the owners. There is no exercise of the right of 

 eminent domain or condemnation, except by agreement with the 

 landowners as a means of quieting titles. The fact that private 

 lands may be within a national forest in no way affects the use and 

 management of such lands, so long as it does not result in injury to 

 adjoining Federal properties. 



On January 1, 1937, there were 87 established purchase areas ; 3 in 

 New England, 11 in the Appalachian region, 2 in the piedmont area 

 of North and South Carolina, 20 in the southern pine region, 25 in 

 the Ozark and central Mississippi States, 16 in the Lake and upper 

 Mississippi region, 9 in the Western States — Utah, Idaho, California, 

 and Oregon — and 1 in Puerto Rico. 



Purchase work is conducted under direction of the Secretary of 

 Agriculture, but no land may be paid for unless its purchase has 

 been approved by the National Forest Reservation Commission, 

 which consists of the Secretary of War, the Secretary- of the Interior, 

 the Secretary of Agriculture, two Members of the Senate, and two 

 Members of the House of Representatives. 



Development of the national-forest system, especially in the east- 

 ern half of the United States, was speeded up by purchase of land 

 under the emergency relief programs. Nearly $45,000,000 of emer- 

 gency funds were allotted this purpose during the years 1933 to 

 1935. thus permitting the purchase of almost 11 million acres addi- 

 tional to those previously acquired. These purchases have opened 

 up large reservoirs of constructive public work for the relief of the 

 unemployed. 



WISE USE— THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE 



The policy under which the national forests are administered by 

 the Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service was laid 

 down by the Secretary of Agriculture in a letter to the Chief For- 

 ester, dated February 1, 1905, in which he said : 



In the administration of the forest reserves it must be clearly borne in mind 

 that all land is to be devoted to its most productive use for the permanent 

 good of the whole people and not for the temporary benefit of individuals or 

 companies. 



All the resources of the forest reserves are for use, and this must be brought 

 about in a thoroughly prompt and businesslike manner, under such restrictions 

 only as will insure the permanence of these resources. * * * You will see 

 to it that the water, wood, and forage of the reserves are conserved and wisely 



